Charlotte's parents Joel and JoAnn and her brother Guy, 10, had breakfast with the Dynamo group in Danbury, Conn. Soon after they ate, Clark offered a soccer lesson.

Guy and the classmate he brought to the breakfast jumped at the opportunity, prompting Clark and Ching to move tables and set up a makeshift indoor soccer field for a quick two-on-two match.

"Rico got up and started teaching the boys how to kick a ball," Ching said. "We were scoring goals through the legs of the chairs.

"You just want to make friendships up here and put smiles on their faces."

Canetti gets it rolling

Shortly after 26 people were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Canetti was inspired to return to his home state and help. The former Quinnipiac University baseball player reached out to his alma mater's soccer coach Eric Da Costa. Together, they planned Soccer Night in Newtown.

The event was going to be a soccer clinic for Newtown residents, but it became more after some of the biggest names in U.S. soccer volunteered to attend. Beginning with former national team star Alexi Lalas and all-time women's scoring leader Mia Hamm, U.S. Soccer personnel participated, turning Soccer Night in Newtown into more of a festival for fans.

"Alexi asked me if he could come," Canetti said. "Then Mia Hamm and then Christie Rampone called and said, 'Can I come?' Then Kristine Lilly called and said, 'Can I come?'

"No problem. And Tony Meola called. I lost track of how many people are coming."

Los Angeles Galaxy superstar Landon Donovan, who is considered the face of U.S. Soccer, also attended, along with former U.S. national team star Cobi Jones. All MLS clubs were represented by at least one player.

The Dynamo group, which included six people from the front office, arrived in Connecticut on Sunday and stayed in Danbury, one of Newtown's neighboring communities.

The Bacon family accepted the team's invitation to breakfast at the team hotel. They met with the players and capped their 90-minute meeting with the impromptu scrimmage.

Welcome diversion

"They moved the chairs and table and played a little two-on-two for a little while," Canetti said. "It was neat. They were having fun. They were laughing. They were giggling. This is what they were supposed to be doing."

Canetti and Ching were awed by the Bacon family's strength.

"The boy told us that his favorite gifts for Christmas were three hamsters," Ching said. "He named one after his sister. It was pretty heartfelt. It was just a cool family.

"They'd done a good job of handling this. For us, we try not to bring it up. Just want to reach out and help them enjoy our time with them."